


Have a Seat

by lamitzvah



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 06:40:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4736333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lamitzvah/pseuds/lamitzvah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of The Killing Game, Seven is a little unsettled and goes to Captain Janeway for help....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Have a Seat

“Have a seat.” Janeway brushes debris off her desk, courtesy of their former Hirogen occupants. The rest of the ship fared little better; in addition to broken parts and crippled systems, strange and disturbing Hirogen artifacts had been left behind as well. A particularly grotesque preserved skull stares at Janeway from the floor; she stares back a moment before rolling it towards the garbage pile.

Gingerly, Seven steps over a broken tricorder and surveys the room. “There are no chairs.”

Janeway looks up from turning a shattered picture frame over in her hands and nudges her chair out from the desk. It wobbles, but remains upright. “Be my guest.”

Seven hesitates a moment before taking the offered seat. She sits awkwardly, holding onto the arm rests like she might leap up at any moment. 

Smiling, Janeway says, “You’re getting the hang of it. Soon sitting will feel like second nature.” 

Seven inclines her head. “I doubt that.”

Chuckling, Janeway leaves the broken frame on the desk and steps over to the wall. “Let’s see if the replicator is back online yet. Computer, two coffees, hot. Sugar?” She glances back at Seven.

Seven is silent as she considers her previous coffee experiences. At length she responds with, “Yes.”

They each take a sip of their coffee. Janeway nods, “Perfect.”

Seven stares down at her cup. “Tolerable.”

“I’ll make a coffee lover of you yet, just wait and see.” Toeing aside a blasted panel, Janeway returns to her desk and leans against it. 

Unusually restless, Seven’s eyes dart around the room. It’s a little early for coffee jitters to set in, but Janeway doesn’t say anything. They’ve all had a trying few weeks.

Seven stands abruptly and sets her coffee cup on the table. Clearly preoccupied, she leans on the desk beside Janeway. The silence stretches between them, not exactly uncomfortable, but not entirely at ease either. Janeway sips her coffee, unconcerned; Seven will speak when she’s ready.

Out of the blue, Seven says, “There is another human... custom I would like to try.”

Janeway sets her cup aside. “Alright. What is it?”

Seven hesitates. “Turn your face this way.”

Smiling faintly, Janeway complies. Seven leans in, pauses, leans in a little more. By the time she brushes her lips, softly, against Janeway’s, Janeway has had ample time to prepare herself. She keeps still, letting Seven decide the experience. 

Uncharacteristically, Seven sits back only partway and seems to hang in the air, uncertain.

Janeway clears her a throat. “A kiss?”

Seven looks into Janeway’s eyes, can’t decipher what she sees there. Abruptly she sits back, facing the wall again. “Was that... an incorrect thing to do?”

Janeway laughs. “Not at all, though I don’t advise trying it out on just anyone. They might get the wrong idea.”

Seven opens her mouth, closes it. “You are not just anyone.”

Chuckling, Janeway crosses her arms. “And? What did you think?”

“I am... not sure. Did I execute it correctly?”

Janeway tries not to laugh.

Seven glances at her. “Is something funny?”

Smiling, Janeway says, “Here, let me show you how it’s usually done.” 

Seven studies her face, uncertain. “What should I...?”

“Just relax.” 

Slowly, Janeway reaches a hand out towards Seven’s face. Seven glances at it but holds still, intent with concentration as Janeway tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, tilts her face with something other than utilitarian purpose; trailing her fingers down Seven’s cheek, along her jaw. Seven stares into Janeway’s eyes, entranced. Janeway’s face is different than she usually sees it; a similar intensity to when they argue, and Seven’s heartrate is picking up, but it’s also different. Different in a way that has her nerves lighting up, an anticipation that is entirely unlike fear.

Janeway leans forward then, without hesitation, her eyes closing as she presses her lips firmly to Seven’s. Seven blinks for a moment, scattered, but then she remembers Janeway’s command: relax. 

Closing her eyes, Seven relaxes into Janeway’s hold, pressing against her lips, unsure how to ask for more.

All too soon Janeway is releasing her and sitting back, reaching for her coffee like nothing extraordinary has just happened.

“The key,” Janeway says, “is to do what feels right rather than what you think is right.” She pauses for a contemplative sip. “It might be a little too advanced for you right now.”

Seven considers this, but finds her rational processes derailed by a simple desire; for more. “Can we try it again?”

Janeway chuckles. “Is this scientific curiosity?”

Seven pauses. Is it? Her heightened physiological response alarms her. “No,” she says. “I must leave.” Maybe the Doctor would be a better person to talk to about this matter. She gets up, walks swiftly to the door. Once there she pauses and directs her next words to the floor: “Thank you for the coffee.”


End file.
